Introduction
The graphic novel After the Rain by Nnedi Okorafor, John Jennings and David Brame uses various techniques, both textual and visual, to inspire fear and a sense of anxiety in readers. All this relates to various monstrous entities that the main character Chioma encounters as the plot develops. The supernatural in this graphic novel serves as a tool and metaphor for demonstrating the search for the identity of a person who has returned to the conditions of a native but, at the same time, alien culture. That is why one should consider the monstrous entities as more uncanny than grotesque, as this serves as the basis for overcoming one’s own doubts and searching for a new destiny.
Details
Particular attention should be paid to the opening scene of the graphic novel, where the reader can observe the rather gloomy landscapes of an unfamiliar settlement and the silhouette of a walking woman. In such an environment, there is an acquaintance with the main character Chioma, who opens the door and sees a boy in front of him who is especially severely injured and disfigured (Lehoczky). In this scene, it visually becomes quite awe-inspiring to observe Chioma’s interaction with the boy. However, her professional activity allows her to remain calm. Although on the other hand, the main character can be heard saying: “In all of my five years as a copy on the South Side of Chicago, I’d never seen anything like this… Never.” (Okorafor et al. 17). Thus, it is worth noting that some sense of fear is reflected in these words.
It is relatively simple to explain it since readers are presented with a rather unpleasant picture that inspires a sense of anxiety and fear. The boy has a rather anxious expression on his face, and a piece of brain is visible on his head. Visually, this aspect is made in sufficient detail, and various non-traditional viewing angles for visual novels are used (Taylor). The fear of the main character can be traced in other words: “How are you alive?” (Okorafor et al. 18). This is where the feeling of fear manifests itself, which is mixed with a lack of understanding of what is happening. The boy’s face is presented in close-up, which forces readers to focus their attention on him. The word grotesque cannot fully fit the description of what the main character faced.
Conclusion
It should be noted that even though this scene only a small part of the work, it fully reflects how the authors inspire fear and anxiety through the visual-textual form. The techniques used allow readers to trace the feeling of anxiety in Chioma, which she experiences from meeting the boy. Even despite her professional experience and composure, there is uncertainty in her words, which can symbolize a slight panic. The presented image of a traumatized boy is designed to inspire a sense of unease for the reader. This is created due to the selected palette of colors and the method of a detailed image of the face and figure.
Works Cited
Okorafor, Nnedi, et al. After the Rain. Abrams ComicArts, 2021.
Lehoczky, Etelka. “To Adapt ‘After the Rain,’ Artists Cross All Kinds of Boundaries.”NPR, 2021.
Taylor, Shawn. “After the Rain Graphic Novel Review.”The Nerds of Color, 2021.